The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1887-01-07

Cation. but yton may properly be reminded that
your assumdd unwiliingness to meet the diff
culties aud Inconvenience or o reappOrlion-
ment was STRONGLY urged upon me as Il reason
for calling together your predecessors for the
purpose. IL kifniiar circumstances should exist
IN sos, as THEY probably will, hope your pres
enL action wi III confirm the confidence OF all in
that day. that the Minnesota leglslHture will
perform its dIhty, uninfiuenced by personal con-
sideration This duty being performed, it will
he seen that, 80 far as the reasons urged for a
session in lisp arc CONCERNED. biennial sessions
sufficiently an$wer all purposes.
UFNECEssARY OFFICES
Frequent xthnination Is necessary to prevent
the rete t6ion a. offices which have ceased to be
necessarily or usEfuL ] judge the Office CT state
land Bgdlt 10 III now such an one. 1t seems to
me, alsdIt that ttie preparation and distribution
OF Initiative documents. books or Circulars
regardiG the advantages OF Minnesota, hitherto
done by4 boardtof inmigration and secretary.
can Dov4 be more properly and economically
placed in the charge Of the secretary or state
Referring to the requirements that the state
shall make an enumeration of it's inhabitants
again in 1895 and TO the fsct that the United
States will now pay one-balf the expense of
census taken at that time, If it contain the same
matter taken in the same manner as the federal
census, / recomutend to your consideration the
suspension of the annual collection and pnblica-
ton of agricultural statistics, with the view to
make In ] so5 complete census which viii fur
nish reliable me3ns for comparison, in all re-
spects, with that 1f the UniIed states In 1890
Our published statistics are becoming less and
less Trustworthy doubt II they are now worth
DRAINAGE OF THE RED RIVER VALLEY.
public s,eesing held at Crookston on The 9Th
of last moath in the interest Of the drainage
OF the Rsd river valley. requested me by resolu-
ton - call voir attention TO the urgent need
OF csfefusI sad 5taicious legislation upon the
subject of drainage; also upon the justice and
necessity OF very liberal appropriation from
the 81 ate to open up the obstructed river chan
neis at B. is fthatl secttcn and Of the wisdom OF
the state lending her credit TO forward the
scheme" ThHe j Willingly comply with this
request TO the extent or commencing the sub
ject to yourconsideratior, am prevented from
making the tuli Recommendations desired by the
iubibitjons OF the constitution. Section 10 of
Article q of the constitution provides that the
credit of the state sfail never be given or loaned
in aid Of a'1y indisfdnai, association or incor-
hibits the sta g froEp contracting ANY debts for
works Of internal Improvement" or becoming "A
party in carry on sucn works except
in cases where grants or land or
other property shall have been made to
the state specially dedicated by the grant to
specific pnrposes,- etc; While it seems TO be
the way OF snci state aid to this project as It's
promoters seek. there are considerations that
strongly commend il to public favor and TO
such Endorsement by the state as may be con-
sti; ut .onally given. Careful surveys snd esti-
mates show that a moderate expenditure made
in opening ans deepening the natural waite
courses of the led river waller will not only re-
claim and make valuable large areas which are
now swsmps, but will give system OF natural
drainage 60 iants OF large portion OF the valley
which are now liable IN wet seasons to be rend-
cred almost useless for cultivation: Included IN
this area are. laIse, sracts OF land which have
been conveyed by ,t tho general sbs ss
the congressional grant itself. of providing ths
means for their rainale. The state. however.
instead Of devoti these Lands to that purpose.
has granted them ~hs gratrity to corporations
to encourage the puilding OF railroads in sections
II these elan lands wefs now available Tor the pur-
pose for which they were granted by congress-,
the means would be aS hand for the prosecution
of the contemplated work The state has d.
yerted them to olIier purposes and has received
benefit from them through the aid they have
given in the dcvelopmenJ of other portions or
Of ofe esassS To- the valley Of the Red
River presents id&bis matter. The appropria-
tion OF a portion Of the internal Improvement
fuad which Is beHnially distributed to aid in
the construction Of roads and bridges could very
properly be devoted to drainage purposes as
herein contemplated.
WESTERN WATERWAYS.
The report of the Estate commission for the
Improvement of the Mississippi river contains
of the state. The Improvement OF our Western
waterways is a subject that specially concerns
the material interests Of Minnesota, and should
hands may promise TO prove means to that
end The head Of NAVIGATION OF the Mississippi
river and pracsic1hi q P the sat ~ axe system
within our borders A large proportion OF our
products finds its way TO market through the
two first named OF these waterways, and the cost
of railroad transport a zion uron the balance In
greatly lessened by Il ,mpetition of these
water routes In the ca 2 trade. The same
is the case with our I'm OF heavy merchan-
disc, coal, etc The price prevailing
for our agrfcultuT; Sucts make the
question of the cos fr Transports
tion to market an all. II one at the
present time. Their sely lies the
solution Of the problem ---hich our pro-
ducers are now wrestling n they can sue
cessfully meet the CO of cheap labor
elsewhere. in the CROWN 4 products for
the worlds consumption Moderate expen-
diture made by the COVE n recent years
Tor pne aid OF Navigation s-rfverS Knd the
lakes has resulted in moi initial benefit to
the internal commerce OF ntry than any
like expenditure elsewl on its inland
waterways. Such result ant demSn
upon the government for ing out of the ,
comprehensive system u----hich the work
has thus far been prosec ..
The utility of the system at the
sources of the Mississippi IS been prac-
tically demonstrated dur Iast season OF !
exceptional dryness. Fl Q until close |
or navigation these resers re constantly |
drawn upon, and for thu rs OF the time (
to an extent that gave Il IT water OF st. |
Paul than would otherwis, zen the case,
as estimated by the Unite engineer In !
charge, thus securing go Of water for
the largest steamers thrt---he season OF
navigation. The work for ,rovement Of [
the channel of the upper ii is embar- +
raised on account 81 the Iropriations
for the purpose, but most uial benefit
has accrued from the expeE ready made.
The wonderful and peI precedented
growth of the commerce !, and rapid
development OF the miner -ces of our
territory bordering the la mt in COM
handing form the importan ecessity Of
the Inn yrovement CT our har AXE Supe-
rior and the enlargement of Ste. Marie
canal. A full presentations S illustrate
ing the influence aud effect vi THESE waterways
In the Developments OF our resources would
prove revelation even to many OF our own peo-
pie Accurate statistics OF the commerce Of our
rivers and lake ports, collected and published in
form for general distribution, would prove use
full in demonstrating the utility OF the Improve
ments desired would therefore recommend
that the river commission be authorized TO incur